Lee quits international cricket

Updated July 13, 2012 23:50:32

Veteran Australian paceman Brett Lee has announced his retirement from international cricket.

The 35-year-old sustained a calf injury in England, cutting short his participation in the recent one-day series, which Australia lost 4-0.

He says his original plan was to retire after the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup but he woke up on Friday morning and knew now was the time to go.

"To play international cricket you need to be mentally and physically 100 per cent and I didn't think it would be fair to the team or myself if I wasn't in that space.

Lee played 76 Tests for Australia and is fourth on the all-time list of leading Australian wicket-takers with 310 scalps, behind Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Dennis Lillee.

He also played 221 one-day international matches, taking 380 wickets.

Here is some of the reaction to Lee's retirement:

2:10pm: Chairman of selectors John Inverarity has paid tribute to Lee:

"The statistics only tell part of the story.

"Brett has been an absolute ornament to the game; a fine player, a fierce and brave competitor, a generous opponent and one who always upheld the highest standards of sportsmanship.

"He has been a cricketer in every sense of the word."

1:10pm: Brett Lee holds a press conference, confirming his retirement.

"To play international cricket you need to be mentally and physically 100 per cent and I didn't think it would be fair to the team or myself if it wasn't in that space.

"Looking ahead at the next two months I just didn't have that desire any more. It's not a lack of commitment but you just get to that point in your life when enough's enough and the great run is at an end."

"It's almost as if today a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I have been a bit anxious the last two days. It has been a hard few days.

12:30pm: We mentioned earlier Lee's musical interests with Six and Out - here he is 'jamming' with Australian all-rounder Shane Watson:

12:20pm: Grandstand's Drew Morphett spoke to The World Today about Lee, saying "I don't think there's too many #BrettLee's around".

"It's not unexpected. He wanted to go on. He retired from Test cricket so he could concentrate on the 50-over game and the T20 games.

"But his body's finally caught up with him and he's come home early from the tour of England with a calf injury, and up until then he would have been expecting, I would suspect, to be going to the World Twenty20 Championship later in the year, but I think this has probably finished him off and he thinks, 'hey, I'd better call it quits'."

Morphett says Lee will be remembered as a great performer in all modes of the game, but says he was a a superstar in the one-day game.

"His 380 (one-day wickets) is just one behind Glenn McGrath, which he took in 29 less games than Glenn McGrath.

"I remember four years ago, we played a mini-series against Sri Lanka out here - we only played two Tests - he got the man-of-the-match in both games, he got the man-of-the-series, and his athleticism and the way he put the frighteners on the Sri Lankan batsmen, it was just fantastic. He was ... a bit of a veteran then."

12:15pm: Here's some more Twitter reaction:

@VAPERDAN: All the best Binga @BrettLee_58 might have a beer or 10 and watch highlights of you hospitalizing a few Kenyans in the world cup. #cricket

@bentyers: I was always pro Brett Lee, he was all we had when we had nothing else, could never question his effort #cricket

@SydFCDragon: Well done to @BrettLee_58 on an awesome international career and calling it quits at the right time #cricket #binga

@jpinczewski: @BrettLee_58 retiring to focus on music career with seminal rock band "Six and Out" #cricket

@PinkRugby: Brett Lee officially retiring from international cricket! Mmm not a good time to retire on such a low in his career. Was he pushed??

@Matador_Shark: Brett Lee to retire from all cricket today: He's been playing like he's been retired for 5 years. #cricket

12:10pm: Here's Lee on Channel Nine announcing his retirement from the international scene:

12:05pm: Lee's official website is yet to update with news about his retirement, but it does point out that he will exit the ODI arena just one wicket behind Glenn McGrath's Australian record wicket tally of 381. Here's his official Twitter announcement though:

@BrettLee_58: It's official, I have retired from international cricket! Thanks for all your love and support. It's been an amazing 13 years

11:50am: Here's some more of what Lee had to say on Channel Nine:

"It's been a fantastic career and I've loved every minute of it, but it's stage two of my life now," he said.

"My holiday will be at home - I'm sick of being away. That was on my mind as well - time away from home.

"I just want to maybe do some fishing and just chill out for a few months."

Lee said he'd had an enjoyable career, playing with the likes of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne in a remarkable Australian team.

11:48am: Here's some of the Twitter reaction to Lee's impending announcement:

@NickWarren75: Shame Bing's retired. Still one of the best bowlers in Aus #cricket

@SydneyDreaming: Omg #brettLee retiring from #cricket ! (don't really know what that means but it seems to be freaking my #Australians out)

@MalcolmConn: #Cricket BREAKING: Brett Lee is retiring from INTERNATIONAL cricket, not all cricket. Still considering Big Bash. Sorry for the confusion

@Ch0cMuffin: Aww Binga! Retire after one more wicket please #cricket.

@secretnumber6: brett lee retires from #cricket , great player , wishing him best for the future #wellbowledbinga

@rustyjacko: I've lost track of all Brett Lee's retirements now, which one is this? #cricket

@djb_82: Brett Lee to retire? Should've happened in 2008! #cricket

@jessica_coxie: Sad to see @BrettLee_58 retire from cricket. Am relived to know that we will see him again in a Bollywood Motion Picture! #BrettLee #Cricket

11:45am: Lee is expected to continue playing T20 cricket by the way - IPL and considering Big Bash.

11:40am: Away from the cricket pitch, Lee was once part of the band Six and Out, featuring his brother Shane and fellow NSW cricketers Richard Chee Quee, Gavin Robertson and Brad McNamara. Check out one of their 'hits' below:

11:25am: Check out some of Lee's career highlights, as well as a cracking delivery to New Zealand's Adam Parore:

Career background:

Lee made himself unavailable for Test duties in 2010, but continued to play one-day and Twenty20 internationals for Australia.

The New South Welshman played 76 Tests after making his debut in in the Boxing Day match in 1999, claiming 310 wickets at an average of 30.81.

He played his final Test at the MCG in 2008.

He made 221 one-day international appearances, collecting 380 scalps at an average of 23.36, and was a member of Australia's victorious World Cup squad in 2003.

He also played 25 Twenty20 internationals in which he took 28 wickets at 25.50.

Tags: cricket, sport, australia

First posted July 13, 2012 11:19:10

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McDermott quits as pace bowling coach

Updated May 11, 2012 14:08:04

Craig McDermott has resigned as Australia's pace bowling coach, citing the demands of upcoming cricket tours as a reason for his decision.

The former Australian quick bowler was named a year ago as the replacement for Troy Cooley, after beating off competition from the likes of Jason Gillespie, Andy Bichel and former South African speedster Allan Donald.

As a bowler, McDermott took 291 wickets for Australia in 71 Tests.

In a Cricket Australia release, the Queenslander said that it had been a very difficult decision to leave his position and said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" the job.

"However the team's schedule is a particularly busy one and after looking at the upcoming touring demands, I felt this to be the right decision from a personal and professional point of view,'' McDermott said.

"The progression of particular players and the improvement of depth in Australian bowling stocks has been the result of much hard work from both sides and is something I am particularly proud of."

Australia has a busy upcoming schedule, with an Australian one-day tour of the British Isles in June and July, a one-day series and one-off Twenty20 international against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in August, and the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in September.

McDermott said he would continue to provide input to Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence in Brisbane but wanted to continue his coaching career in a role that allowed greater flexibility. He did not rule out being involved with the Australian team in the future.

He thanked Australian Test captain Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur and wished them and the team well.

Arthur paid tribute to McDermott's contribution to Australian cricket.

"Craig has done an outstanding job since taking over the role and without doubt will be very difficult to replace," Arthur said.

"As the Australian public and cricket world has seen, Craig has taken our fast bowlers to another level and his skills and experience will be sorely missed around the group.

Arthur said the team understood and respected McDermott's decision and hoped he could be involved with the team at some point in the future.

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, qld, brisbane-4000

First posted May 11, 2012 14:08:04

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Jayasuriya quits international arena

Updated June 10, 2011 10:37:00

Sri Lanka's opening batsman Sanath Jayasuriya will retire from all forms of international cricket after the first one-day match of their England tour later this month, he said.

The 41-year-old all-rounder, who quit Test cricket in 2007, made the announcement after Sri Lanka Cricket recalled him for the T20 and one-day squads to face England.

"I called you here to inform (you of) my retirement from all forms of (international) cricket after 20 years of play," Jayasuriya said in Colombo.

"I'll retire after playing a one-day and a T20 game."

Sri Lanka faces England in a Twenty20 match on June 25 before the first one-dayer at the Oval three days later.

"I will continue to play league matches and domestic cricket," he said when asked if he would quit all form of cricket.

Jayasuriya, who helped Sri Lanka to its only World Cup triumph in 1996, remains the island nation's highest run-scorer in one-day internationals with 13,428 runs from 444 matches.

He is the second-highest scorer and the ninth highest wicket-taker in the limited-overs game.

He has scored 6,973 runs in 110 Test matches and captured 98 wickets.

He was left out of Sri Lanka's World Cup team early this year due to poor performance.

Jayasuriya was elected as a member of parliament last year for Sri Lanka's ruling party.

"I will serve people in my electorate in future and also I will work for the betterment of cricket," he said.

-Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, sri-lanka

First posted June 10, 2011 10:36:00

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Stuart Clark quits state cricket

Updated May 18, 2011 15:59:00

Former Test paceman Stuart Clark is stepping down from being a full-time state player to concentrate on his new off-field role with the Sydney Sixers.

The 35-year-old was last week appointed as general manager of the Sixers in the new eight-team, city-based Twenty20 domestic competition starting this summer.

Clark intends to continue playing club cricket with Sydney University.

The tall right-armer burst onto the Test cricket scene in Cape Town in March 2006, taking match figures of 9 for 89 against Graeme Smith's South Africans.

A reliable seamer with a high arm action and a fondness for bowling back of a length, Clark drew instant comparisons with New South Wales team-mate Glenn McGrath.

Clark boasts a fine Test record of 94 wickets at 23.86 in 24 matches and has claimed 389 first-class scalps at 27.37.

The outspoken big man, who wrote hard-hitting newspaper columns during the 2010-11 Ashes series, was Blues skipper last summer in the absence of Test opener Simon Katich.

Clark's last Test was against England at The Oval in August 2009.

"I am going to continue playing club cricket as I still love playing the game, but more importantly I believe I can still help develop Australia's future talent," he said on Wednesday in a statement.

"Playing cricket has given me many opportunities in life and I feel by continuing to play club cricket I am giving something back to the game.

"The Sydney Sixers is now my professional focus.

"However, I will still be available to play in this year's Champions League in India which New South Wales has qualified for, as well as helping out the Blues if need be, and given that it does not impact upon my Big Bash League commitments."

Clark has a masters degree in commerce, majoring in finance, and is about to complete a law degree.

- AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

First posted May 18, 2011 15:48:00

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Sri Lanka's Malinga quits Tests

Posted April 23, 2011 08:19:00

Injury-prone Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga has quit Test cricket in a bid to prolong his career in one-day internationals and Twenty20 matches.

Malinga is playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and had recently made himself unavailable for Sri Lanka's tour of England, attracting criticism that he had chosen to play for club over country.

"In January this year I wrote a letter to Sri Lanka Cricket and released a statement to the media confirming that I planned to reassess my Test future after the World Cup," he said in a statement.

"I decided that I needed to make myself unavailable for Test cricket in an effort to prolong my career as a national cricketer for Sri Lanka.

"Although I am sufficiently fit to play both ODI and T20 cricket, I have a long-standing degenerative condition in my right knee that needs to be carefully managed."

The 27-year-old Malinga, known for bowling accurate yorkers, bagged 101 wickets in 30 Tests with his slinging action since making his debut against Australia in Darwin in 2004.

He took a three-year break from Test cricket until coming back to the format when he figured in a home series against India in 2010. He has three five-wicket hauls in a Test innings to his credit.

"I did try to return to Test cricket after a three-year absence last year following requests from the team management and the selectors, but it left me unfit nursing severe knee pain for two months," Malinga said.

"I have realised that the heavy workload of Test cricket, which requires a fast bowler to be able to bowl more than 15 overs, sometimes on consecutive days, could lead to permanent injury.

"I have carefully considered my options and have decided that not playing Test cricket will help me achieve my goal of representing Sri Lanka in the 2012 World Twenty20 and the 2015 World Cup."

- AFP

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